$1 deposits - February 14

[Grburkart]

14 hours ago, yerdua said:

Don t forget you only have 60 days to transfer to a TA if you're booking thru princess.

Can you explain this please? I usually stay away from TA’s. 

Thank you in advance. 

 

Glenn

 

[caribill]

3 hours ago, Grburkart said:

Can you explain this please? I usually stay away from TA’s. 

Thank you in advance. 

 

Glenn

 

Some people book a cruise initially with Princess and later see if a TA will give a better combination of price and perks.

 

Princess used to let you do this and transfer a booking to a TA anytime before final payment. Now they have a rule that if you want to transfer the booking to a TA, it must be done within 60 days or by final payment date, whichever comes first.

[Grburkart]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

Some people book a cruise initially with Princess and later see if a TA will give a better combination of price and perks.

 

Princess used to let you do this and transfer a booking to a TA anytime before final payment. Now they have a rule that if you want to transfer the booking to a TA, it must be done within 60 days or by final payment date, whichever comes first.

Thank you for that. Is there an advantage to using a travel agent vs. Online?  

My thing is too many travel agents have gone by the wayside with clients money. Totally ruining their vacations not to mention the lost money. 

I’d like to stick with dealing direct with Princess. 

 

Glenn

[Reader0108598]

3 minutes ago, Grburkart said:

Thank you for that. Is there an advantage to using a travel agent vs. Online?  

My thing is too many travel agents have gone by the wayside with clients money. Totally ruining their vacations not to mention the lost money. 

I’d like to stick with dealing direct with Princess. 

 

Glenn

Never ever give money to a TA ,it goes directly to the cruise line.

 

[Coral]

3 hours ago, Grburkart said:

Thank you for that. Is there an advantage to using a travel agent vs. Online?  

My thing is too many travel agents have gone by the wayside with clients money. Totally ruining their vacations not to mention the lost money. 

I’d like to stick with dealing direct with Princess. 

 

Glenn

The vast majority of cruises booked are booked through agents (not direct). My agent is across the country from me and we communicate via email and phone. The credit card is charged to the cruise line. I save $$$$ by using an agent. I would never book direct - I save money by using an agent plus an agent is an advocate for me vs the cruise line is an advocate for themselves.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Coral

[HUNNY BUN]

Another question about the spreadsheet list:

 

How do we find out which ship is which sailing?  Is there a secret "key" to their voyage number?

[Reader0108598]

I don't book with an agent any more, I find they are unresponsive after they get the booking. If I see a price drop I can just call myself.  After over thirty cruises I give up on finding a good one! I have had to pull a booking twice! They can keep their cheap wine or

 dinner I can get that on my own 🙂

 

Edited February 11, 2019 by Reader0108598

[jenf22]

Has anyone had any luck rebooking with the $1 deposits and getting the original deposit paid back?  I've got a cruise booked for June 2020 and I would much rather have $3 down than the $700 I've got now.  I suppose I could just cancel and rebook.  The price is the same as when I booked.

 

As far as a TA goes, I ALWAYS use one.  I use one of the "big box" ones and have never had trouble rebooking to a better promo.  The Princess cruise in 2020 has $710 OBC.  So a little more than a dinner of a bottle of wine. 

[Reader0108598]

I do ok! 🙂 happy you do also! 

 

[Georgie562]

46 minutes ago, jenf22 said:

Has anyone had any luck rebooking with the $1 deposits and getting the original deposit paid back?  I've got a cruise booked for June 2020 and I would much rather have $3 down than the $700 I've got now.  I suppose I could just cancel and rebook.  The price is the same as when I booked.

 

As far as a TA goes, I ALWAYS use one.  I use one of the "big box" ones and have never had trouble rebooking to a better promo.  The Princess cruise in 2020 has $710 OBC.  So a little more than a dinner of a bottle of wine. 

Cancelling and rebooking would be the correct formal way assuming you're not past final payment.

And also you'd have to consider the amount of time the refund would take to hit your card. Either way those $700 are going to have to get paid sooner or later. If it were my situation, I'd leave it alone and avoid the hassle. Come final payment you'll have $700 less to worry about.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Georgie562

[Ombud]

Reserved 2 cruises with rooms I prefer (Japan & Transatlantic). Will call my PCP Thursday to book under the deal. 

[Bubbs33]

How do you reserve or put a cabin on hold?  

[Ombud]

I use a princess cruise planner. So I just go in and put the cruise on hold. I now have until Feb. 15th to either come up with a deposit or to cancel. On the 14th I will call up my planner and I will tell Mary that I want the room but I want to book under her. So I will get her 100 OBC plus the cruise for a dollar.

 

FWIW my prefer room was not available so I had to shift. Apparently very popular. Also just reserved the Grand rt SF so now I just have 2 days to decide which one 

[Travelingfreckles]

3 hours ago, Ombud said:

I use a princess cruise planner. So I just go in and put the cruise on hold. I now have until Feb. 15th to either come up with a deposit or to cancel. On the 14th I will call up my planner and I will tell Mary that I want the room but I want to book under her. So I will get her 100 OBC plus the cruise for a dollar.

 

FWIW my prefer room was not available so I had to shift. Apparently very popular. Also just reserved the Grand rt SF so now I just have 2 days to decide which one 

Ombud, I understand your creative planning but am wondering why you'd get an additional $100 OBC? Is it better to go thru the PCP than just do online yourself? 

[Georgie562]

4 hours ago, Bubbs33 said:

How do you reserve or put a cabin on hold?  

 

Through Princess.com you go through the full booking process at the end it will give you the option to put a courtesy hold. This hold is only good for 3 days I believe, and maybe sooner depending on sailing date.

Edited February 12, 2019 by Georgie562

[Ombud]

13 minutes ago, Travelingfreckles said:

Ombud, I understand your creative planning but am wondering why you'd get an additional $100 OBC? Is it better to go thru the PCP than just do online yourself? 

I get ALOT of OBC: Current promotion = 200, shareholder = 100, my PCP = 60-100 (has been higher for cruises originating in California), loyalty = 25 now but 50 then. 

[Bubbs33]

I understand from my TA and calling PC that this promotion is not combinable with the current All Aboard promotion. So if the price is the same why give up the OBV? I dont get it.

 

[Ombud]

I'll find out if I can get 200 obc with the $1 deposit tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock. That's in my PCP is calling me. If I can get that then I will have 450 0BC for the cruise. That's enough to cover most of everything on board ship including gratuities.

[HUNNY BUN]

Tried to book this morning but their website is having TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!!  Good grief!!!😩

[Bubbs33]

TA has my room on hold just need to finish transaction.

[Ombud]

54 minutes ago, HUNNY BUN said:

Tried to book this morning but their website is having TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!!  Good grief!!!😩

Widespread power outages in SF due to storms. Many schools including sll SF State campuses across city closed until further notice. Might be impacting Princess

Edited February 14, 2019 by Ombud

[Ombud]

44 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Widespread power outages in SF due to storms. Many schools including sll SF State campuses across city closed until further notice. Might be impacting Princess

My Princess Planner just sent me confirmation and I get the Sail Away perks with $1 deposit!! I used to book online but PCP can 'sometimes' add extra OBC above what you see on the website

[Diver2014]

14 hours ago, Bubbs33 said:

I understand from my TA and calling PC that this promotion is not combinable with the current All Aboard promotion. So if the price is the same why give up the OBV? I dont get it.

 

 

No, the $1 deposit and All Aboard perks ARE combinable - my PCP verified it AND it also states so in the small print. We were going to wait until today to put the deposit down but decided to go ahead and put the 10% required because we wanted a specific cabin and it was the last one on the deck we wanted.

Edited February 14, 2019 by Diver2014

[ICUQT]

On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 10:30 AM, rocklinmom said:

Yes 3 for Free is always a great promo.  And I am seeing the same thing on July 2020 Japan cruises (mini suites "sold out").  They could indeed be holding back some of them, or it's just limited availability. 

TA just booked the 08/04/2020 on the Diamond under the $1 deposit sale. Booked balcony but for the mini suite she got me "waitlisted". She also thinks Princess is holding back inventory.  

[Grburkart]

Yes!!! I just booked a mini suite on the Diamond for a 28 day round trip out of Tokyo on Dec. 16, 2020. I tried for a full suite but it does not qualify for  the $1.00 promo. 

FWIW I booked directly from Princess.

 

 

Glenn

Edited February 14, 2019 by Grburkart